Lasting-machine.



M. BROCK.

LASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION r1150 MAY 11. 1911.

Patented June 8, 1915.

IMF/V5555? C if M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MATTHIAS BROCK, OF BOSTON, MASSAGHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIT-ED SHOE MACHINERY COMiBLNY,,OF PATERGON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LASEING-MLGHINE.

T allwhom it may concern Be itknown that I, Mn'r'rnms Bnoox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston,-in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Lasting-Machines,-of which the following description, inconnection'with the accompanying drawings, is a spccification, like reference characters on the drawings'indicatinglike parts in the several fig ures.

This invention relates to lasting machines, and the machine herein shown and described as illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention a la'stingmnohine of the type described in United StatesLetters Patent No. 584,744, dated June 15, 4897, and commonly known commercially as a hand method lasting machine.

In-machines of the type described in said prior patent, by reason of the fact that the upper materials stand out stiiily from't'he .last, particularly at thetoe, it is usual to employ a wiper as an auxiliaryto'the plaiting action of the grippers,the wiper serving to laythe upper downmto position to be secured. -In lasting welt shoes, this position is in the angle of union betweenthe feather edge and lip of the'inncr sole, and it has been found in practice that it is almost impossible to crease the upper down into the said angle without 1 causing numerous small wrinkles to be formed :and'without considerable roughening of the leather when the-upper is stretched and plaited orgfulled in being carried inwardly over-the curved edge of'theilast. These undesirable conditions obtain even in' spite of the care and skilful manipnlation of good workmen using the best forms "of wiper heretofore employed.

A articular object of the presentinvention is'to produce an improved lasting ma- Specification of Letters Patent.

lpplloatlon and laya, 1911;

Patented June 8, 1915.

swarm. czaa'm.

Inaccordance with this object of the invention the illustrated machine includes means for-applying moderate heat to the portion ofthe upper folded over the inner sole edge, such local application of moderate heat to the upper not only facilitating the removal of manks, wrinkles or other inequalities from the leather, but also rendering the leather more pliable so as to enable the wiper to crowd it downmoreievenly and snugly against the shoulder of the inner-sole and to distribute the fullness of the upper materials more evenly around the toe.

This feature ofmy invention which I consider to be of great importance is not limited in its broader aspects to the particular means-by which the application of heat is made to the upper 011 the shoe bottom. The particular means by which local application of the heat is made at the proper places is not, of primary importance and -I may use for ''this purpose, for example, wipers of various types having any desired movements. The invention is herein shown applied to a single pincer lasting machine having a wiper that is arranged to rotate continuously and uninterruptedly in engagement with the margin-of upper overlying the feather of the innersole. The illustrated wiper and its operating mechanism are not my invention but constitute the subject matter of United States Lettersihtent No. 1,103,979, issued July 21, 1914, on the ap lioation of ThomasH. McAulifie.

t has been proposed heretofore to last the shoe aswell as practical and fasten it,-and then to-iron the upper by an additional operation on the lasted andfastened'shoe. By the present invention, all the advantages incident to'this procedure are retained, and at the same time the preparation of the shoe for the subsequent sewing is still further facilitated sincethe ironing'is done progressively during the lasting and before the fastening of the upper is completed, so that the upper is in the best possible condition to be shaped into position to be sewed, and the tightness and the smoothness of the upper obtained by the ironing operation are made permanent by the toe binding-wire, or other upper fastening means employed in the machine. This'entirely obviates the difficult sometimes experienced when the ironing. ollo'wed the lasting and fasteningflby reason of the fact that, between 'the l-a'stingf and fastening and the subsequent ironing, the toe binding wire was likely to become more or less loose and the shoe stock sometimes dried or stiffened more or less with the wrinkles in it before it was presented to the ironing means. At the same time the additional labor cost of the extra ironing operation is avoided.

A particular characteristic of the use of the heated wiper is that in operating upon shoes having Vamps or tips or enameled leather, not only is the enamel softened, but at the same time the shrinking of the enamel due to the local application of heat to it obliterates the fine wrinkles which are formed in abundance where the enamel is stretched and bent in lasting. Advantageously and as herein shown the surface of the heated wiper which engages the enamel may be oiled to prevent injury to the softened enamel.

It is desirable that the heat applied to the wiper and imparted from the wiper to the leather be readily controlled so as to prevent rapid fluctuations in the temperature of the wiper and of the leather, and so that the wiper may be heated to varying temperatures as desired. It is further desirable that the heat may be quickly turned on and off, and that as little time as possible be consumed in heating the wiper to the proper temperature. In order to satisfy these conditions, a feature of the present invention consists in the provision of electric heating means for the wiper although any other convenient form of heating means may equally Well be employed.

As a further important feature it should be noticed that the holder for the wiper which applies the heat to the Work is preferably so constructed as partially to inclose the wiper so that the Wiper is heated from the inclosure in which the acting portion thereof moves out and in to treat the upper and then to return to be reheated. The construction is such that the heat is applied directly to the wiper holder from which it is both conducted directly to the hub of the wiper and also transmitted by radiation to the inclosed portion of the wiper as the wiper turns through the inclo'sure, this construction being particularly adapted for making an efficient local application of heat to the leather in the manner and for the purposes set forth. Furthermore the wiper is preferably movable from a retracted position outwardly to its working position and simultaneously connected with its driving means and conveniently the heat is turned on and ofl automatically in time relation with the adjustment of the wiper. This avoids the objectionable uneven heating of the wiper which would otherwise occur while the wiper is at rest in its inoperative position, insures economical use of heat and leaves the operator free from care of the wiper. The intervals between the uses of the Wiper in shoe factory work are not long enough for the Wiper to cool below an efiicient temperature while the current is shut off. This feature of the invention is equally applicable with the use of a gas flame or of any other heating means.

That improvement in methods of making shoes which is herein disclosed is not claimed in the appended claims but constitutes the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial No. 862,554, filed September 18, 1914.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of one side of a machine of the type referred to equipped with one embodiment-of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the wiper and its associated parts; Fig. 3 is a detail of the means for applying oil to the surface of the wiper.

For the purpose of illustration the present invention is herein shown and described as embodied in a lasting machine of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent No. 584,744, which machine is constructed and arranged to last a shoe by operating step by step around the shoe upon adjacent portions of the upper successively. Except as hereinafter fully explained and described in detail, the machine may con veniently be constructed substantially as set forth in said Letters Patent and, therefore, only so much of the machine will be herein described as is necessary for a clear understanding of the present invention. Accordingly reference should be had to said patent for any matters relating to said machine not fully set forth herein. Some features also of the rotary wiper mechanism will only be described briefly and generally since they form the subject matter of the above-mentioned Letters Patent No. 1,103,979.

The machine comprises a column A carrying a head B on which are supported the various operating mechanisms and instrumentalities of the machine, only a portion of them being herein shown as above suggested. Among these operating mechanisms is the usual reciprocating Wiper and tack carrier C which, While the shoe is being fastened by tacks around the sides and the heel seat, transfers a tack from the usual raceway to position to be inserted by the action of the tack driver. During this transfer of the tack, the lower face of the tack block acts as a Wiper rubbing over the shoe bottom from its edge inwardly and pressing and holding the upper against the lip or shoulder of a welt shoe innersole in position to be secured. While lasting the toe portion of the shoe the action of this reciprocating wiper and tack block is supplemented by an auxiliary wiper, all .as fully set forth in said prior Letters Patent No. 584,744. In a plane slightly below th 3 intermediate plate B and arranged at the front of the machine adjacent to the upper stretching grippers 14, 16 is the rotary wiper 20, preferably comprising, as shown, a disk turning about an axis perpendicular to the shoe bottom and of such size that its margin overlies the feather while the shoe is being lasted a distance greater than the usual feed movement of the shoe. The wiper thus remains in rubbing contact with the shoe for a considerable length of time, and its curved periphery gradually approaches and then recedes from the lip of the innersole. The wiper 20 is formed with a hub 22 extending from the lower side thereof. The hub 22 has a bearin in a plate or holder 24, the holder 24 belng suitably secured to one arm 26 of a casting. This casting is pivotally secured to a boss 28 in theplate B. The other arm 29 of the casting has its free end toothed to intermesh with similar and corresponding teeth formed on the front end of an arm 30 of a rock shaft 32. The construction is such that, when the shaft 32 is rocked or turned about its axis, the casting will be turned about its axis, the boss 28, to advance 'or retract the wiper 20, movement of shaft 32 one way operating to advance wiper 20 into the operative position shown in Fig. 2 and reverse movement of shaft 32 operating to withdraw said Wiper rearwardly into inoperative position.

The rocking of shaft 32 one wa and the other is induced by movement of a nee lever 34 one side or the other of its central osition and the same movement of sha t 32 which serves to advance the wiper 20 into its operative position also and simultaneously, as will be seen by reference to said prior patent, serves to throw into operation the mechanism for imparting lateral and turning movements to the grippers 14, 16 to plait the upper. The wiper 20 is mamtained in operative position and constantly in engagement with the work so long as the plaiting is continued and is then retracted into ino erative position upon the shifting of knee ever 34 and rock shaft 32 to render the plaiting mechanism inoperative.

The rotary wiper 20 as above explained, serves to crease the upper into the an le of union between the feather-edge and ip of the innersole as shown in Fig. 2. If as is commonly the case, particularly in welt work, a toe binder 36 of wire or the like is employed at the toe instead of temporary tacks, the wiper 20 also serves to place the binder 36 in binding relation to the upper, the binder 36 being usually unwound from a suitable reel, guided by an arm 38, anchored as at 40 to a tack and then passed arolpnd the toe and anchored by an opposite tac a The wiper 20 is preferably arranged to be continuously rotated while 1t is in operative position, the means therefor which, as above stated, form the subject-matter of the said before-mentioned application comprising the following mechanism. A pinion 42 embracing the hub 22 of the wiper 20 and fixed in relation thereto meshes with the teeth of a spur gear 44 which in turn is connected b beveled gears 46 and 48 to one end of a she t 50 which extends substantially horizontally and has at its other end another beveled gear 52 engaging a corresponding gear 54 secured to a vertical shaft 56 which is arranged to be rotated continuously whenever the machine is running by a spiral gear on the main cam shaft of the machine. The gear 52 may be fixed on shaft 50 so that whenever shaft 56 is rotated shaft 50 and wiper 20 will also be turned, or, preferably, the ear 52 may be loose on shaft 50 and suita le means ma be provided for clutching the shaft 50 t ereto when the wiper 20 is adjusted into operative position.

The means for electrically heating the wiper in accordance with the present invention may conveniently comprise an electric resistance coil or heat unit 58 having at one end a screw threaded part 60 screwed into an opening in the wiper holder 24. The resistance coil 58 is conveniently arranged as shown in Fig. 1 and from its lower end conductors 62 lead to a socket 64 or to an other suitable means for connecting the coil 58 with a source of electric energy. The holder 24 is cut away at 66 (Fig. 1) to inclose partially the wiper 20 and the holder 24 is constantly in running contact with the acting portion of the wiper. From this it will be seen that, as before suggested, the heat is not only directly conducted by the holder 24 to the hub 22 of the wiper 20 but it is also indirectly transmitted by radiation to the inclosed portion of the wiper as it turns through the inclosure.

Preferably and in order that the heating energy supplied may be conveniently controlled and regulated as desired, a rheostat of any common or suitable construction or a multiple switch will be provided. It should be noticed that in such case not only can the wiper be heated very quickly but the heat can then be easily kept approximately at any desired temperature or the temperature of the holder 24 and Wiper 20 can be changed at will. In order that the heat may be turned on and off automatically in time relation with the adjustments of the wiper into and out of operative position, a knife switch is provided. One blade 70 of this switch is secured to the arm 26 while the cooperating blades 72 are fast to the end of an arm 34 fixed to the plate B so that whenever the arm 26 is turned about its pivot 28 to advance the wiper 20 into operative position the blades 70 and 72 contact to make the circuit and the heat is turned on, whereas when the wiper 20 is moved reversely backward, movement of the arm 26 withdraws the blade from between the blades 72 and the circuit is broken and the heat automatically shut off. For use in operating upon enamel leather, in order to prevent in ury to the softened enamel an oiling device 76 is provided comprising a hollow cup 78 in which waste or felt or the like can be placed as shown at 80, the oil soaked felt contacting with the edge of the wiper at 82 so that the surface of the heated wiper is kept constantly oiled as it turns through the inclosure.

Obviously as before suggested the electrical heating means may equally Well be varied from the precise means shown and the above arrangement and mode of connection for heating the wiper may likewise be modified and changed in various Ways such as will readily occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, the means shown and described and the manner of its application being merely for the purpose of illustrating one convenient arrangement.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that in the use of the machine the continuously rotating heated wiper applies heat to the overlayed upper on the feather of the inner sole during the interval between the release by the grippers of an'overdrawn portion of the upper and the seizure of a fresh portion. Thus, as the shoe is fed or advanced between the pulling operations of the grippers and also, while the grippers are pulling, the wiper applies heat locally to the portions of upper to be folded over the shoe bottom, warming and softening the fresh portions of the upper which are about to be seized and pulled by the grippers. This prepares the upper for bending over the edge of the shoe bottom or over the angular edge of the feather of the innersole, and the pliability so acquired by the local application of heat enables the upper to bend over the edge of the shoe bottom at a sharper angle than it otherwise could do. This sharp angle, which is very desirable in a welt shoe, is increased by the ironing which the stock receives from rubbing and pressure of the wiper as the work proceeds. During the pulling operation of the grippers the wiper serves to heat the upper that is under and adjacent to it and progressively to crowd the heated upper inwardlv until in its heated and softened condition it is pressed firmly against the lip or shoulder of the innersole and down into the angle between the lip and feather so that the upper is most effectively formed or molded into its lasted position.

Also, the wiper continues to hold the upper upon the feather after, in the progress of the shoe as it is fed along, the wiper has ceased to engage the upper in the angle,

thus allowing the heated and softened uri e:

in the angle to cooland stifl'en in its lasted position before the tensioned upper reacts. Moreover, after a portion of the upper has been released by thegrippers, the heated wiper irons the upper inwardly against the shoulder or lip of the innersole, removing ag y-qwrinkles which may remain and also any marks which may have been made by the grippers or as a result of the crowding of the upper into position. As a further advantage, the local application of heat to the leather tends to shrink it somewhat, this shrinking of the leather enabling it to conform more closely to the shape of the last and assisting in working it into the angle compactly and without bunching.

Preferably, and as shown, the edge of the continuously rotating wiper is scalloped or toothed so that, while the heat acts to soften the upper and render it more pliable and impressionable at the line of fold, the projections on the edge of the wiper operate to rub the upper toward the line of fold and, by rapidly repeated impacts, to beat the softened upper at the line of fold. This produces the most eflicient lasting at this part of the shoe known to me. It will be noted further that the local application of heat to the portion of upper that is upon the shoe bottom is particularly effective on the two lines of fold at the outer edge of the shoe bottom and at the upward bend of the angle between the feather and lip of the innersole, it being on these lines that the upper is most thoroughly rubbed and ironed by the heated wiper. Also, with the illustrated continuously rotating wiper any obstinate or difficult portion of the work can be treated continuously throughout such a period of time as the work may require, the feedin of the shoe being under the control of the operator.

Having fully described a convenient use of my invention and one embodiment thereof, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 2- 1. A machine for working an upper over a last and forming it into the angle between the feather and the shoulder of a Welt innersole having, in combination, upper stretching grippers, means for operating said grippers to last the shoe step by step by repeated applications of the grippers to adjacent portions of the upper, and means for applying heat locally to a portion of the upper which is upon the shoe bottom adjacent to the stretching grippers for softening the stock to facilitate the lasting operation.

2. A machine for working an upper over a last and forming it into the angle between the feather and the shoulder of a welt innersole having, in combination, upper stretching means, a rotatable wiper for crowlding the upper into said angleflneans for continuously and uninterruptedly rotating the wiper in operative engagement with the upper, and means for heating the wiper for applying heat-locall to a given portion of the upper in the ang eand on-the feather in advance of the action-of the-upper stretching means upon that portion of the u )per to soften the upper and to cause it to form more readily into the angle.

3. In a machine for progressively lasting welt and turn shoes, in combination, upper over-winking means, a reciprocating wiper, ironing means shaped .and arranged with relation to thereciprocating wiper toiron the upper into the angle between the feather and the shoulder of a welt shoe innersole or a turn shoe sole and against the shoulder thereof, and means to keep the ironing means hot.

4. In a machine for progressively lasting welt and turn shoes, in combination, upper stretching grippers, a reciprocating wiper operatin to lay the stretched upper over the shoe bottom, an ironing device maintaining during successivelasting operations uninterrupted operative engagement with the shoe bottom and progressively advancing around the shoe as the lasting proceeds to iron each stretched and overlayed pprtion of upper down upon the featherof a welt shoe inner-sole or turn shoe sole, and means to keep the ironing device hot.

5. In a lasting machine, in combination, upper stretching grippers, means for operating the grippers to progressively last a shoe, means for progressively ironing the upper down upon a bottom face of the shoe innersole, means acting directly upon the ironing means to keep it hot, and means for progressively fastening the upper where it has been ironed down in lasted position.

6. A machine for working an upper over a last and forming it into the angle between the feather and the shoulder of a welt innersole, having in combination, upper stretching grippers, and additional means separate from the grippers for making local application of a suflicient degree of heat tothat portion of the upper which is lasted over and fulled inwardly upon the feather of the innersole around the toe of the shoe by the grippers to shrink that portion of the upper with relation to the upper on the side of the last.

7. In a lasting machine, means for work ing an upper over a last combined with a heated rubbing tool, and operating means therefor for progressively and uninterruptedly ironing the upper inwardly against the shoulder of th innersole.

8. A lasting machine having lasting means, including means for creasing the upper into the angle of uni'onbetween the feather edge and lip of the innersole, in

combination with means for making local application of heat to each of successive portions of the upper in advance of the action of said lastingimeans .onthat portlo n "of the upperto soften the leather as 1t is about to beacted on by theilasti means and thereby facilitate the action of ecreasing meansin gathering the upper inwardly toward lasted position.

feather andat thebase of the-lip auditor manipulating the upper to bend and .shape it to thecontour of the'overlaid surfaces of the innersole, a'device-for supplying heat to said means, and operating'mechanism ifor operating said means to apply the heat and to manipulate the upper as specified.

10. A machine for shaping a shoe upper to the contour of the n-iergmaliedgeiportion of a welt shoeinnersole having, in-oombination, means for makinglocal-(application of heat toltheiportionof upper which overlies the feather and stand; against the lip to render the upper pliable at'the'lines of fold at the outer edge-of the'feather and atthe base of the lip and for manipulating-the-upper to bendvand shape it tothe contour. of the overlaid surfaces of theiinnersole, a device for'suipplying heat to'said means, :and operating mechanism for operating said means to make repeated applications of! heat and apply shaping pressure repeatedly to 'the same-portiomof upper .on=the line on which it is bein bent into the angle between .the feather an :theilip of the innersole.

11. Aimachineifor working an upper over adast and forming it into the aniglebetween the feather and the shoulder of a welt innersole, having, in combination, -mcans for stretching the upper including a member for forcing the upper into the angle between the feather edge and lip of the sole, a holder for said member arranged to conduct heat freely thereto, and an electric heater attached to said holder.

12. A machine of the class described having, in combination with upper stretching means, a member for crowdlng the upper against the shoulder of the mnersole, a holder supporting and partially inclosing said member, means for rotating said member, and an electric resistance device attached to the holder whereby heat is applied directly to said holder from which it is both conducted directly to the said member and transmitted by radiation to the inclosed portion of the member as it turns through the inclosure.

13. In a machine for working an upper over a last and forming it into the angle between the feather and the shoulder of a welt innersole, the combination of upper stretching and plaiting grippers, with a rotatable wiper for crow-ding the mar in of the upper into the said angle, means or continuously and uninterruptedly rotating the wiper in operative engagement with the upper, and means for supplying electric heating energy to said wiper. r

14. A machine. for working an upper over a last and forming it into the angle between the feather and the shoulder of a welt innersole, having, in combination, grippers for stretching the upper, a rotatable wiper, means for adjusting the wiper to and from operative position, mechanism for continuously rotating the wiper while itis in ioperative position, means operated by adjustment of said wiper for disconnecting the wiper from its operatin mechanism, and heating means for said wiper controlled automatically in time relation with the adjustment of the wiper.

15. A machine for working an upper over a last and forming it into the angle between the feather and the shoulder of a welt innersole having, in combination, a movable member for forcing the upper into the said angle, a carrier therefor comprising walls in contact with said member and arranged to conduct heat freely thereto, means for supplying electric heating energy to said carrier, and mechanism for operating said member outwardly to do its work and back into the carrier to be heated again.

16. In a machine for working an upper over a last and forming it into the angle between the feather and the shoulder of a welt innersole, the combination with upper stretching means, of means for creasing the upper into the angle, said machine having provision for heating the enamel on the portion of the shoe up er that lies upon the feather, and means or applying oil to the face of the creasing means that engages the enamel, as and for the purpose described.

17. A lasting machine having, in combination, grippers for stretching the upper, mechanism adapted to be rendered operative or inoperative for causing the grippers to plait the upper, a wiper movable into and out of position for forcing the -upper into the ang e between the feather edge and lip of the innersole, operating mechanism for the wiper, heatin means for said wiper, and means for rendering the plaiting mechanism and the wiper operative or inoperative and for controlling the heating means in time relation.

18. In a machine for working an upper over a last and forming it into the angle between the feather and the shoulder of a welt innersole, in combination, a movable member for forcing the upper into the said angle and electric heating means formed and arranged to supply heat to said member generally and at the same time to heat a portion of the member to a higher temperature.

19. In a machine for working an upper over a last and forming it into the angle between the feather and the shoulder of a welt innersole, in combination, means for stretching the upper including a member for forcing the upper into the said angle, a holder for said member arranged to conduct heat freely thereto and having a part in close proximity to the work engaging edge of said member to radiate additional heat to said edge, and an electric heater attached to said holder.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MATTHIAS BROOK.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR L. RUssELL, HERBERT W. KENWAY. 

